Street-sweeper.



No. 663,390. Patented Dec. 4. |900.

C. Z. ONEILL.

STREET SWEEPER.

A(Application filed Dec. 6, 1899.)

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CHARLES Z. ONEILL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

STREET=SWEEPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 663,390, dated December 4, 1900.

Application iiled December 6, 1899. Serial No. 739,388. (No model.)

,To @ZZ wwn t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES Z. ONEILL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Street-Sweeper, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved street-sweeper which is simple and durable in construction, very effective in operation, and arranged to thoroughly sweep the dirt from the street-surface into the buckets of an elevator, which in turn delivers the sweepin gs into a wagon or cart, to the rear end of which the sweeper is removably connected, so that upon moving the vehicle forward the sweeper is dragged along to sweep the street and to deliver the sweepings to the Vehicle-body, and when the latter is loaded the sweeper is detached and connected with an empty vehicle to repeat the operation.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a sectional side elevation of the improvement on the line l l in Fig. 5. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional side elevation of the sprocket-wheel and the axle of the sweeper. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the same. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional side elevation of the sweeper-axle and the hub of one of the vehicle-wheels. Fig. 5 is an inverted plan view of the improvement, and Fig. 6 is a plan View of a modified form of sweeping-brush.

The improved street-sweeper is provided with an elevator A, having an inclined frame B, carrying at its side bars boxes C for an axle D to revolve in, said axle carrying at its outer ends side or vehicle wheels E, adapted to travel on the ground. Each of the wheels E is provided at its hub E' (see Fig. et) with a device F for locking the hub to the axle D when the sweeper is drawn in a forward direction to cause the wheels E to rotate the axle; but when the sweeper is moved in a backward direction then the said device F permits the wheels to rotate loosely on the axle without rotating the latter. This device F consists of a pin F', adapted to engage a `shoulder D' in the axle D, and said pin is fitted to slide in a radial recess in the hub E'. A spring F2 presses on the said pin F', and this spring is engaged by a lug F3,- held on a spring F4, secured to the outside of the hub, the lug F3 and the spring F2 extendingin the recess containing the pin F'. Thus when the wheel E turns in a forward direction the pin F' by engaging the shoulder D' on the axle draws the latter` in the same direction; but when the wheel turns in a backward direction the pin F' slides outward against the tension of the springs F3 F4, so that the wheel rotates, but the axle remains stationary.

On the axle D, at or near the middle thereof, are secured collars D2, between which extends'the head Gr, mounted to turn loosely on the axle, and connected by a pin G' with a lforwardl -extendino reach G2 engaging at y c a a o o its forward end a pivot H', formed on the end of a screw H, screwing in a keeper H2, clipped or otherwise secured to the rear axle l of a vehicle J in the form of a cart or wagon and having a body J', into which discharges the upper end of the elevator A when the sweeper is in use. Thus when the vehicle J is drawn forward a forward movement is given to the elevator mounted on the vehicle-wheels E and connected with the vehicle J by the reach G2, as above explained.

In the lower and upper ends of the elevatorframe B are journaled pulleys B' and B2, over which passes an endless apron B3, preferably made of canvas or other suitable fabric and having buckets on the outer face of the apron. Each bucket consists of a transverse bar B4, preferably made of wood, with rows of bristles B5 extending from one face of the bar, near the outer end thereof, to stand parallel with the runs of the apron B3, as willbe readily understood by reference to Figi. The sides of the frame B are sufficiently wide to receiveV the ends of the transverse bars B4, which reach from one side to the other, so that any dirt thrown into the buckets by the revolving brush K is held on the apron, the corresponding bar B4, and the bristles B5, and finally dis- IOO charged into the vehicle-body J' when the bucket passes over the upper pulley B2, it being understood that the upperend of the elevator extends between the extension-boards J2 of the vehicle-body.

The bearings for the upper pulley B2 are mounted to slide in slots BG, formed in the side bars of the elevator-fraine B, and said bearings rest on springs B7, contained in said slots. Thus the apron B2 is normally held taut, and in case one of the buckets when in a lowermost position strikes an obstruction in the street then the apron B3 is free to pull the pulley B2 downward against the tension of the springs B7 until the obstruction has been passed, when the springs B7 return the pulley B2 to its former position. Thus it will be seen that when an obstruction is met by one of the buckets there is no danger of the apron being torn or the buckets injured, as the pulley B2 will yield suiiciently to overcome the obstruction.

On the axle B8 of the lower pulley B' are held wheels B2, adapted to travel on the ground and connected with the axle B8 by devices F, the same as described in reference to the axle D and the wheels E and shown in detail in Fig. 4;.

When the sweeper is drawn forward, the wheels B9 in traveling on the ground in a forward direction rotate the shaft B8 to actuate the elevator-that is, to rotate the pulley B and to cause a traveling motion of the apron B3 and a rotation of the pulley B2. When the sweeper is moved backward, then the wheels B9 rotate loosely on the shaft B8, the same as the wheels E on the axle D.

The revolving brush K has its shaft K' journaled in links L, hung on the axle D, and said links are connected at their rear ends with chains L', attached to brackets L2, secured to the side bars of the elevator-frame. arrangement the brush K is flexibly mou nted, so as to extend the proper distance at the rear of the lower portion of the elevator and hang at such a height that its bristles will come in proper contact with the surface of the ground to be swept.

In order to rotate the brush K, the shaft K' thereof is provided at one end with a sprocket wheel N, over which passes a sprocket-chain N', also passing over a sprocket-wheel N2, mounted to turn with the axle D and to oscillate in a transverse direction thereon to permit easy traveling of the chain N', which is crossed to give a rotary motion to the brush K in the proper direction-that is, in the direction of the arrow ct-to cause the bristles of the brush to sweep the dirt into the buckets of the apron B2, traveling in the direction of the arrow b'. The sprocket'wheel N2 has its hub N3 mounted on a collar O, secured to the axle D, the hub N3 being free to oscillate transversely between ianges O' on said collar O.

In order to carry the sprocket-wheel N2 around with the shaft D and the collar O, the

By this' latter is provided with pivoted shoes O2, engaging corresponding recessesin the hub N2, (see Figs. 2 and 3,) so that when the shaft D and the collar O turn, then the shoes O2 carry the sprocket-wheel N2 along, and at the same time the latter is free to oscillate on the collar and the shoes, as the latter are formed with segmental peripheries and are free to turn on the collar O.

When it is desired to move the wheels B9 and the brush K off the ground, then the for ward end of the elevator-frame B is swung downward toward the reach G2, so as to swing the wheels B and the brush K off the ground. In order to hold the forward end of the elevatoreframe in proper relative position to the reach G2, I prefer to employ a chain P, having a turnbuckle P' for shortening the chain, so as to impart a swinging motion to the elevator-frame for the purpose above described.

In order to prevent the sweepings from passing beyond the sides of the brush K, I form the latter with rows of bristles K2, standing radially froml the core K3, the ends of the rows of bristles being inclined forwardly, as plainly indicated in Fig. 5, so that when the brush is rotated the sweepings at the sides of the brush are thrown inward to prevent any of the dirt from passing beyond the ends of the brush. If desired, a brush K4, having rows of bristles spil-ally arranged, maybe employed. (See Fig. 6.)

The operation is as follows: When the several parts are in the position illustrated in Figs. l and 5 and the vehicle J is drawn forward, then the brush K is revolved in the direction of the arrow a', and a traveling rnotion is given to the apron B3 in the direction of the arrow b' by the means above explained-that is, the turning of the side wheels E causes a rotation of the brush K, and the traveling of the wheels B9 on the ground causes a travel of the apron B2 in the direction indicated. The bristles of the brush K sweep the dirt into the buckets of the elevator and finally discharge between the extension-boards J2 of the vehicle-body J' into the latter, and when the vehicle J is filled then the sweeper can be readily disconnected from the vehicle, if desired, or the vehiclebody can be emptied of its contents without detaching the sweeper from the vehicle J. In case, however, the reach G2 is disconnected from the vehicle J by unscrewing the screw H, then the sweeper can be connected with another empty vehicle J, while the loaded vehicle is being drawn to the dump to be emptied of its contents.

In order to prevent the dirt from blowing out of the elevator-buckets, I employ a cover Q, made in one, two, or more sections. A similar cover may be placed over the front part of the vehicle-body J, or I may there employ a iiexible cover Q', wound upon a springroller Q2 and adapted to be stretched across to the other side of the body and to be hooked or otherwise secured thereto.

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Having thus fully described my invention, I elaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentv l. A street-sweeper comprising a wheeled frame, an elevator having a frame supported to swing on said wheeled frame, a driving ground-wheel for said elevator mounted in the elevator-frame and thereby adapted to be raised from or lowered to the ground by the swinging of the elevator-frame, links pivotally carried by the axle of the Wheeled frame, a brush journaled at the rear ends of said links, an adjustable connection from the elevator-frame to the links, and means for driving the brush.

2. A street-sweeper having an elevator, comprising a frame, upper and lower pulleys j ournaled in the frame, an endlessapron passing over said pulleys, buckets on said apron, and formed of transverse bars, and bristles extending from one face of the bar approximately at right angles to the faee, substantially as shown and described.

3. A street-sweeper having an elevator, comprising a frame, upper and lower pulleys journaled in the frame, an endless apron passing over said pulleys, buckets on said apron and formed of transverse bars, bristles extending from one face of the bar approximately at right angles to the face, vehiclewheels on which said frame is mounted, and driving-wheels for the lower pulley, and arranged to travel on the ground, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES Z. ONEILL Witnesses:

THEO. G. HosfrnR, EvERARD BOLTON MARSHALL. 

